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MUNCIE – IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital will host a day-long job fair on June 27 for those interested in pursuing nursing careers.

The event, which will include interviews by shift managers and hospital staff members, is part of a system-wide effort to bring more nurses into the network's hospitals.

"We are really trying to bring in people who are going to do great things for us," Carla Cox, the chief nursing officer at the hospital, said. "The fair is really a way for us to bring all these people together and speed up the process."

Cox said by hosting this kind of event, the process as a whole is being sped up and bringing the new hires on at a much faster pace.

"With this event, we'll be able to do in just a few weeks what usually takes longer than (a month and a half)," she said.

Other IU Health hospitals are hosting similar events, said Sara Pruett, the hospital's communication coordinator.

"Methodist is hosting one (in downtown Indianapolis) this weekend and more events are happening on July 11," Pruett said. "It's all about fixing the ... nursing shortage."

Both Pruett and Cox said staff members would meet Monday to figure out the top candidates and they'd be sent job offers soon after.

"We want this to be quick so we can get more nurses in here, but we also know we need to choose the best applicants," Cox said.

Interested applicants are asked to register for the event beforehand; at least 35 people had registered for the event as of June 16, Pruett said. That was just a couple days after the event was announced.

"The great thing about this hospital is that it is getting talent from all over," she said. "We're pulling in people from Noblesville, Fishers, Muncie ... our applicants are going to be able to see what makes Ball Hospital so special."

Pruett said applicants should register before June 27 by visiting www.iuhealth.org/hiringevent. The event, which will run 9 a.m.-4 p.m., will include tours of the facility.

According to Carla Cox, applicants should approach the fair as they would with any other interview.

"They'll be meeting a lot of people, and they're going to be in a (professional environment)," she said. "If they have extra copies of their references or a portfolio of some kind, they should bring that."

Follow food and business development reporter Mickey Shuey on Twitter (@MickeyShueyTSP).